Prosecutors would not say why they dropped the murder charge against Berlyn Paonessa-Kerston, but court records suggest she had been locked in an abusive relationship. On Sunday, she was arrested for second-degree murder but authorities declined the case on Tuesday.
Court documents show Mahuka had a criminal history with a record of violence. He was set to stand trial next week for abuse against Paonessa-Kerston. A previous abuse case was dropped because the victim did not want to testify and he served time behind bars after pleading guilty to an abuse charge in The Domestic Violence Action Center offers services to women like Paonessa-Kerston who are trapped in abusive relationships.
CEO Nanci Kreidman said prosecutors did the right thing. The deadly dispute happened the same day a woman in Salt Lake was stabbed multiple times by her boyfriend who then died after jumping from the building. Family members of Mahuka said he was the son of Gavalynn Mahuka, 53, who was shot and killed by police in an hours-long standoff in July. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. And on Wednesday, a community candlelight vigil honoring the lives lost from domestic violence will be held on Maui.
Actions Facebook Tweet Email. A domestic abuse victim won't be charged for killing her boyfriend. Copyright Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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